WINCHESTER, Va. – As we enter the final week of the regular season, the Shenandoah Hornets finished up their home and home with Eastern Mennonite on Tuesday afternoon on
Kevin Anderson Field at Bridgeforth Stadium. The Hornets (23-12, 12-8) jumped all over Eastern Mennonite this afternoon and took care of the Royals to secure the season sweep 16-1.
Andrew Gload got the start and went six strong innings gave up three hits and struck out five batters.
Ricky Snyder went the final three innings to pick up the nine-out save for the Hornets and gave up a run on three hits while striking out four. Six Hornets picked up multiple hits in the game while, Shenandoah bashed 20 hits on the game, with eight of them being extra-base hits.
Winning Pitcher:
Andrew Gload (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Damen Tapscott (2-5)
Save:
Ricky Snyder (1)
Top Numbers:
Frankie Ritter: 4-5, 3 runs scored, 2 doubles, 1 stolen base
Chandler Ballenger: 3-5, 3 runs scored, 4 RBI, 1 home run, 1 double
Pearce Bucher: 2-5, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI, 1 double, 1 home run
Connor Houser: 2-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBI, 1 double
Haden Madagan: 3-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk
Gavin Horning: 2-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Brody Pickette: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1 double, 1 walk
Andrew Gload: winning pitcher, 6 IP, 3 hits, 0 R, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks
Ricky Snyder: save, 3 IP, 3 hits, 1 R, 1 walk
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Andrew Gload got the start for the Hornets and after the first batter reached on an error, and a one-out walk, Gload got out of the inning with a double play line drive.
- Frankie Ritter singled on the first pitch he saw before Chandler Ballenger doubled to the deepest part of the park and Ritter scored easily for the Hornets to grab a 1-0 lead. Pearce Bucher doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Connor Houser singled in down the right field line to drive in Ballenger and Bucher, before Gavin Horning placed a single just over the first baseman's head in the perfect spot, and with Connor Houser motoring around the bases, when the ball kicked away he was able to score on an error to make it 4-0.
- Both teams were quiet in the second as Gload worked around a hit-by pitch, and Frankie Ritter who led the inning off with a double, was erased when he was picked off second.
- Gload retired the Royals in order in the third, and Haden Madagan singled with two outs but was stranded on the base paths to keep it a 4-0 game.
- Gload struck out the first batter in the fourth, before giving up a single. That runner was erased trying to steal second on Pickette but was unsuccessful.
- After throwing the runner out at second, Brody Pickette led the fourth off with a ground-rule double to right center. Matt House sacrificed the runner to third before Frankie Ritter was drilled in the back to put runners on the corner with one out. Ritter stole second, before Jaime Padilla flew out to left, allowing Pickette to make it a 5-0 game.
- Gload cruised through the 5th and 6th innings, with the Royals having their best chance in the sixth. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Gload was able to get the final batter with a strike out to end the threat.
- The Hornets broke the game open in the sixth. Matt House with one out, reached on a perfectly placed bunt single. Frankie Ritter dropped a bunt down as well and beat the throw that sailed into right field allowing Ritter to go to third and House to score. With the infield in, Padilla reached on an error to short as Ritter scored. Padilla stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but he could just walk home as Chandler Ballenger bashed a ball to the deepest part of the park for a two-run homer. Connor House then doubled to right center and was lifted for Cole Ambrosious to run at second. Madagan walked, a pitch hit Horning to load the bases, and then Brody Pickette walked with the bases loaded to make it a 10-0 game.
- Ricky Snyder came in relief of Gload and retired the Royals in order with a pair of strikeouts.
- Frankie Ritter hit his second double of the game and advanced to third on a fly out from Padilla. Chandler Ballenger singled allowing Ritter to score. Pearce Bucher was the next batter and golfed a home run over the left field fence to make it a 13-0 game. A pitch hit Cole Ambrosius before Madagan bashed a home run to left. Gavin Horning quickly followed that up with an absolute rocket of a shot to left center field. Andrew Falk came in as a pinch hitter and picked up a single to center, but the Hornets did not score any more runs.
- Snyder loaded the bases with a single, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, and the Royals scored their lone run of the game on a ground out to first.
- Zach Furtado picked up a pinch-hit single but was stranded on the bases.
- The Royals picked up a lead off double, and after a strikeout, a single put runners on the corners. Snyder got a ground ball to short for the game-ending double play.
UP NEXT:
The Hornets are back in action at home tomorrow as they will welcome Penn-State Harrisburg to Winchester for a non-conference game. First pitch for that game will be at 3 pm.
#GoSUHornets
